Police investigate robberies

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South Lake Tahoe police are investigating reports of one robbery and one attempted robbery from late last week.

The first incident happened about 7:30 p.m. Thursday after a man walked into Activity Zone at Heavenly Village. After looking through brochures and a binder, the suspect suddenly grabbed an employee by the sweatshirt and demanded money, Lt. David Stevenson said.

The employee told the attempted robber that there was no money and punched the man, knocking him backward, according to a report of the incident. The suspect again came after the employee, who hit the suspect, knocking him down, Stevenson said. After a third unsuccessful attempt to attack the employee, the man fled the business, Stevenson said.

The suspect is described as a black man who is about 25 years old and between 5 feet, 10 inches, and 6 feet tall. The suspect has a thin to average build, facial stubble and a tattoo on the right side of his neck that appears to be a half moon with writing around it, Stevenson said. At the time of the incident, the man was wearing dark baggy pants, a black hooded sweatshirt and a black baseball hat with a red bill that still had stickers on the top and bottom of the bill, Stevenson said.

The second robbery was reported to police about 3:30 a.m. Friday. During that incident, a 34-year-old South Lake Tahoe man was driving home on Palmira Avenue when he reported seeing someone laying in the road near 7-Eleven, Stevenson said.

The man got out of the car to check on the person when another man ran up behind him and knocked him to the ground, Stevenson said. The person laying in the street got up and was allegedly joined by a third suspect, Stevenson said. The victim told police that he struggled with all three men, who took several hundred dollars out of his pockets and also punched him in the head.

The victim, who had a cut lip and pain to his back and ribs following the alleged assault, described the assailants as Hispanic adults with average to heavy builds, each between 5 feet, 4 inches tall and 5 feet, 8 inches tall. The man told police the suspects spoke Spanish to each other, but English to him, Stevenson said.

Police ask anyone with information about the incidents to call the police department at 530-542-6100 or Secret Witness at 530-541-6800.